This page provides bluebook a uniform system of citation, 19th ed. How to cite a complaint according to bluebook pen and. This is obvious when the parties are called by their real name e. Only refer to the first plaintiff and the first defendant.
Lisa madigan, in her official capacity as attorney general of the state of illinois, defendantappellee. Case name abbreviations table 6 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z. The volume for a reporter is given first, then the abbreviation of the title. Abbreviate the words in t6 and geographical units according to t10.
The light abbreviation system is used for case names appearing in the grammatical part of textual sentences and in complete sentences in footnotes. An open implementation of a system of legal citation. Companyorganization use entire business name, omitting alternate names, and abbreviate andor omit words where possible. Study tips, dealing with stress, maintaining a social life, financial aid, internships, bar exam, careers in law. The first edition of the bluebook was published in 1926 as a packed titled a uniform system of citation. Smith, attorney general for the state of mississippi, for the use of jane p. Abbreviations may also be found for common words or legal phrases. The first named plaintiff or petitioner and the first named defendant or respondent are listed as the case name. Government publishes each statute enacted by the u. For example, here is how you would cite the provision of the u. The webs largest and most authoritative acronyms and abbreviations resource. Trustee has objected to the debtors claim of exemptions, but, the trustee in shoopman objected, although the debtors. On the other hand, if one is speaking of a plaintiff or defendant in general, then the word has a lowercase first letter.
Such citations and abbreviations are found in court decisions, statutes, regulations, journal articles, books, and other documents. Constitution and state constitutions a citation to a constitution includes three elements. Citation to a particular page or range of page numbers in the record is. The ways of legal citation for court documents in the d. If there is more than one plaintiff or defendant, use only the first party on each side. The bluebook recommends, for example, shortening any procedural phrases to abbreviations such as in re or ex parte, as well as using any commonlyunderstood abbreviations to shorten the names of the parties, e. Basics full name of document amended complaint and demand for jury trial at 24, rubio v. It is common practice in legal documents to cite to other publications by using standard abbreviations for the title of each source. A professional system of citation provide that case citations in documents submitted to state courts must conform with the local rules of that. Blue book citation for depositions top law schools.
In an appeal from a suit by or against the director of a state agency, or against the agency itself. The bluebook is the most commonly used system for legal citations in the united states, especially for legal scholarship, but also with modifications by local rules in judicial opinions and party briefs. Court document abbreviations table 8 of 17th edition this table gives suggested abbreviations for citations of court documents and legal memoranda not in the other forms of legal writing for the words most commonly found in the titles of court documents. This type of proceeding occurs when one party is suing on behalf of another. Additionally, the chicago manual of style recommends its use for all citation of legal material.
The bluebook does not explicitly indicate what the numbers refer to. In textual sentences, abbreviate widely know acronyms and the eight words specified in rule 10. In some cases, it indicates that a word should not be abbreviated. This abbreviation is usually found in titles for technical personnel, military or regimented organizations, on forms, and in note taking. A reporter is a series of books collecting the published cases within a given jurisdiction or set of jurisdictions. There are too many rules for this introductory guide to cover. In 1939 the cover of the sixth edition was changed from a brown to a blue color, which is where the name came from. Bluebook citation for legal materials purdue writing lab.
Chicago manual of style 16th edition full note american psychological association 6th edition. Except for doing historical research, a more convenient way to access federal statutes is to use the u. The following information regarding the bluebook citation format is an adapted version of the style and formatting guidelines found in the bluebook, 20th ed. What should you abbreviate when referring to a case in a citation sentence words in table 6 and rule 10. The court abbreviations are either wi, for an opinion from the wisconsin supreme court, or wi app, for an opinion from the wisconsin court of appeals. These are examples of what are legal abbreviations. Get 50% off quizlet plus through monday learn more. Pinpoint citation to specific page referenced preceded by at other short forms are acceptable as long as its clear which case you are citing. Bluebook citation style, the standard form of legal citation in the united states, provides simple guidelines for the proper citation of evidence from a witness deposition. Any word over eight letters may also be abbreviated if substantial space is saved and the result is clear.
Constitution that says that each state shall have two senators. Sources of legal materials in usa statutes and regulations in the usa the u. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Thus far, this guide has described how to cite cases in long form, i.
The documents name is not italicized or underlined, but initial letters are capitalized. However, the following are rules and examples for other types of legal documents that many firstyear law students may need to cite in addition to cases and statutes. This book is a reference guide that, believe it or not, will be just about the only book you take from law school into your practice as a lawyer. Deciding court, jurisdiction date of decision united states v. The main rule that describes the short form for cases is rule 10. Case namesboth full and short case names, and procedural phrases e. Pinpoint citations are indicated using the division paragraph, number, page of the document in question. The bluebook contains rules that prescribe how to cite a variety of legal documents. How to cite a complaint according to bluebook pen and the pad. Citing cases bluebook guide guides at georgetown law library. Introduction there is no one prevailing source for citation of legal authorities in documents filed in new york courts. The bluebook style guide is used in the american legal profession for citation of all relevant sources. The 19th edition of the bluebook permits a writer to choose to enclose the cite in parentheses or not.
Bt2 jurisdictionspecific citation rules and style guides. There are a different kinds of party names, and the type of name will determine format. United states and geographical units listed in table 10 unless the geographical unit is the entire name of the party. Oct, 2017 the case name occurs at the beginning of the citation.
Effective january 1, 2008, however, california rule of court, rule 1. Here are examples of acceptable short forms for universal city studios, inc. Citing to the record in briefs marquette university law. It is a composite of those contained in the bluebook and the alwd guide to legal citation. Abbreviations for court names that you would use in the event a court abbreviation is not provided in table 1. Browse the list of 897 motion abbreviations with their meanings and definitions. Standard abbreviations 4900 exist for many of the document types. California case citation, the bluebook a uniform system of citation student name. Scan your paper for grammar mistakes and catch unintentional plagiarism. Likewise, capitalize plaintiff, defendant, debtor, trustee or creditor when referring to the party in the case that is the subject of the order. Any word over eight letters may also be abbreviated if. Because you will often cite a case and other legal materials multiple times in a document, the bluebook has established a short form for use in subsequent citations.
The volume number of the reporter in which the case is published. Law school bluebook basics one of the books that all 1l law students are required to purchase is the bluebook. The bluebook is the most commonly used system for legal citations in the united states, especially for legal scholarship, but also with modifications by local rules in judicial opinions and party briefs this proposal covers citations to united states legal materialsu. Basic bluebook citation for cases proficientwriters. Domebook or doombook or dombec a book in which alfred the great, of england, after uniting the saxon heptarchy, collected hornbook a book that is the definitive reference for the law. If you are writing a brief or memo, look at the blue pages, rule b10 or apply the citation rules of the jurisdiction. The bluebooks abbreviation for constitutionsection or subdivision. In a case name in a citation clause, only abbreviate widely known. The bluebook has two different systems for abbreviating. Bluebook rules will be denoted as and new jersey bbr. Mar 23, 2017 courtroom practice dictates that any reference to court documents in a legal brief must be cited within the text. Bluebook is a citation style guide used for legal citations.
Court documents bluebook citations libguides at william s. Further, the blue pages contain state and courtspecific information. Bluebook rule 10 covers how cases should be cited in legal documents. List of all most popular abbreviated motion terms defined. As of 2011, the most recent edition of the bluebook is. The bluebook does not explicitly indicate what the.
When citing to other court filings in the same case, abbreviate the titles of those documents and cite a paragraph or page within the document. California style manual for many years, the california style manual has served as the official guide for styling citations to legal materials in documents filed with state courts in california. This table gives suggested abbreviations for citations of court documents and legal memoranda not in the other forms. Courtroom practice dictates that any reference to court documents in a legal brief must be cited within the text. Find out what is the most common shorthand of plaintiff on. Citations are to the 20th edition of the bluebook, a uniform system of citation. Short forms for cases bluebook guide guides at georgetown. Code, which groups the original statute and all subsequent amendments together in one place. Legal abbreviations are shorthand notations that represent larger legal terms and law terms. Name of the case underlined or italicized and abbreviated according to rule 10. Apr 09, 2019 depending on who files the appeal, the appellant may be either the plaintiff or the defendant from the lower court. The purpose of this guide is to introduce the bluebook and basic concepts of legal citation to new law students. To cite a complaint, you need to understand what it is.